About Manuel Rivera
Manuel Rivera was born on November 27, 1958, and grew up in a New York City public housing development. He dedicated his professional life to addressing homelessness and expanding access to affordable housing in New York City. He played a key role in creating housing opportunities for individuals experiencing homelessness and worked to advance policies that support low-income communities.
Rivera became a respected leader within the LGBTQ community, serving as Chairperson of the NYC Black and Latino LGBTQ Coalition, a citywide coalition uniting LGBTQ organizations across New York City to promote equity and inclusion. His work focused on empowering marginalized groups and ensuring that community voices were heard in decision-making processes.
Rivera attended Sara J. Hale High School in New York City and later pursued undergraduate studies in Political Science at SUNY Stony Brook, followed by a Master’s degree in Social Work from the same institution.
Now retired from full-time work, Rivera continues to serve the LGBTQ community as Chairperson of the Consumer Advisory Board and a member of the Board of Directors at GMHC (Gay Men’s Health Crisis), where he provides guidance on community needs and program development. He received the Leadership and Public Service Award from the GMHC Black History Month Committee.
Career Background
GMHC (Gay Men's Health Crisis)
NYC Black and Latino LGBTQ Coalition
Education
Sara J. Hale High School
SUNY Stony Brook
SUNY Stony Brook
Media
Press
Manuel Rivera was born in 1958 and raised in a public housing development in New York City, where early experiences shaped his lifelong commitment to housing advocacy and LGBTQ rights. He spent much of his career focused on ending homelessness and expanding access to affordable housing, while also serving as Chairperson of the NYC Black and Latino LGBTQ Coalition.
Manuel Rivera, a long-time housing advocate and board leader at GMHC (Gay Men’s Health Crisis), is launching a new personal campaign to raise awareness and inspire local action around affordable housing and LGBTQ equity. With decades of experience in public housing advocacy and LGBTQ coalition work, Rivera’s initiative encourages individuals and communities to take action into their own hands.
Manuel Rivera was born in 1958 and raised in a New York City public housing development, where he learned early that community survival depends on collective action. Throughout his career, Manuel focused on homelessness and affordable housing in New York City, working to create housing opportunities for individuals experiencing homelessness and pushing for programs that prioritized stability over temporary fixes.
Manuel Rivera was born in 1958 and raised in a New York City public housing development, where he first learned the power of community. He dedicated his professional life to addressing homelessness and expanding access to affordable housing in New York City, and became a respected leader within the LGBTQ community as Chairperson of the NYC Black and Latino LGBTQ Coalition.
Awards & Recognition
- Leadership and Public Service Award, GMHC Black History Month Committee
Boards & Memberships
- GMHC (Gay Men’s Health Crisis) Board of Directors
- GMHC Consumer Advisory Board, Chairperson
- NYC Black and Latino LGBTQ Coalition, former Chairperson
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